For the first time in a while, Indiana defense will likely pose a threat to Ohio State instead of its offense. Just last year, since-graduated quarterback Richard Lagow had 420 passing yards against the Buckeyes.
Tom Allen's team, led by quarterback Peyton Ramsey, has begun the season 4-1, with its only loss coming by 14 points at home to Michigan State. No team, other than the Spartans, who dropped 35 points, has scored more than 28 points this season.
Third-ranked Ohio State (5-0) will try to buck the trend when it welcomes the Hoosiers to Ohio Stadium for a matchup set to kick off at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Three Keys To An Ohio State Victory
Pressure Peyton Ramsey, but keep him contained
Urban Meyer couldn’t help himself from comparing Ramsey to Trace McSorley, and nor could Chase Young. And while they both can hurt defenses with their feet, Ramsey is a lesser version of the Penn State quarterback who tallied a career-high 461 total yards, including a career-best 175 rushing yards.
He's also a different type of quarterback, though, with the top completion percentage in the Big Ten (71 percent). Ramsey doesn't hold onto the ball too long and averages more than a yard less per passing attempt than McSorley.
When Ramsey is pressured, he's able to escape with his feet. He has 51 rushes for 170 yards, which might not seem too dangerous, but he has been sacked seven times (second-fewest in the conference, tied with Ohio State) to drop his yards-per-carry average. Ramsey has a rush of at least 12 yards in four of five games, and he has two rushing touchdowns.
Last week, Ohio State got a first-hand look at what a quarterback can do when he gets in the open field. The Buckeyes can't afford to have a quarterback beat them on the ground for the second game in a row, especially since they can key on Ramsey with Indiana not having the type of dangerous running back the program has featured in recent years.
Win the third-down battle
Ohio State struggled to convert its third downs against Penn State at an uncomfortable rate for an offense that picked up yardage with ease in its prior four games. The Nittany Lions held the Buckeyes to just one third-down conversion in the first half, and they finished the game 4 for 17 converting from third down. Ohio State's defense, however, made up for the offense's lack of success by allowing Penn State to convert 3-of-17 third-down opportunities.
Both Ohio State and Indiana rank in the upper half of the Big Ten in third-down conversion rate and opponent third-down conversion rate. Whichever team can continually move the chains will have the upper hand on offense and can control the clock.
J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber combined for a season-low total of 108 yards last week and 73 yards the week prior. They'll be important to attacking an Indiana defense that has allowed 4.4 yards per carry, a higher average than the Hoosier run game has accrued despite playing a schedule thus far that has included Ball State, Rutgers and Florida International.
Keep Dwayne Haskins upright versus varied pass rush
The Hoosiers don't have a single pass-rushing threat Ohio State must neutralize. Instead, they rush the quarterback from all levels of the defense, and after watching Penn State find some success forcing Dwayne Haskins to get the ball out of his hands quickly, expect Tom Allen to dial up the pressure and try to agitate the first-year starter.
Through five games, nine different Indiana players have combined for 10 sacks. Only 6-foot, 222-pound defensive back Marcelino Ball has more than one sack.
In order to ensure Haskins returns to his pre-Penn State form, the offensive line must keep Indiana's attacking defense from reaching the quarterback.
Three Indiana Players To Know
Wide receiver Whop Philyor
Have no worries, Ohio State defensive backfield, Simmie Cobbs isn’t walking through the tunnel on Saturday – but Whop Philyor might. Philyor, a sophomore wideout, missed last game due to injury. His status for Saturday’s game is unknown, but he caught Urban Meyer’s attention when game-planning for the Hoosiers. On Monday, he singled out Philyor as a dangerous playmaker.
“He is a really good player at tailback, running back, receiver, they can move him all over the place,” Meyer said of Philyor. “He’s just a really good athlete.”
Philyor didn’t have a catch against the Buckeyes in what was his first collegiate game last year in the season opener. Later in the season, though, he caught a touchdown against Michigan and had a 13-catch, 127-yard game against Maryland.
The 5-foot-11 Philyor has been banged up this season. But after starting the season with five catches in three games, he tore up Michigan State’s secondary in a 35-21 loss with 13 catches for 148 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
He's a dangerous player with the ball in his hands who Indiana lines up all over the field. However, he does most of his damage from the slot, so Shaun Wade might have his hands full if he consistently matches up with Philyor.
Also of note: “Whop” is just a nickname. Mister Elias De’Angelo Philyor is his given name, and let’s be honest, anyone with that name should strike fear into a defense.
Punt returner J-Shun Harris II
No team has returned a single punt off the right foot of Drue Chrisman this season. Last year, the Buckeyes went nearly the entire regular season without having a punt returned before Michigan's Donovan Peoples-Jones returned one in the 12th game of the season. Ohio State prides itself in its ability to cover punts by forcing fair catches, and it’s in the team’s best interest to continue that trend against Indiana on Saturday.
J-Shun Harris II has endured three ACL tears, but remains a threat when returning punts. He has three punt returns for touchdowns in the past two seasons. Harris averaged 19 yards per return last season and has a 14.4-yard average this season.
Jeffrey Okudah and Terry McLaurin have an ongoing competition to be the best gunner on Ohio State. The way Chrisman, Okudah and McLaurin have played on the punt team, Harris likely won't have an opportunity to burn the Buckeyes. But if he finds space, he's more than capable of a long return.
Safety Jonathan Crawford
A senior in a defensive backfield that returned three of four starters, Crawford leads Indiana's defense in a couple categories. He has been a stalwart on the back end of Indiana's defense for years and will start his 44th career game on Saturday.
The 6-foot-2, 196-pound safety has a team-high 26 total tackles, including 21 solo tackles, and also has three tackles for loss. Crawford also has one of Indiana's five interceptions this season to go along with one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass break-up.
Saturday's game will be Crawford's fourth career start against Ohio State, but his first time facing Haskins. The veteran safety has nearly 10 times as many starts as Haskins.
Three Important Ohio State Players
Jahsen Wint
After falling behind Isaiah Pryor in the battle to become Ohio State's starting safety alongside Jordan Fuller, Jahsen Wint has played fewer than 26 snaps in every game but the season opener against Oregon State. With Pryor suspended for the first half due to his targeting penalty, Wint will have another chance to earn playing time.
More importantly, Ohio State must rely on him not to get beat for a big play, which has been an issue the entire season. Wint was out of position at times against the Beavers in Week 1. Ramsey completes over 70 percent of his passes, so Wint will likely be the last line of defense at times, a role he has struggled in.
On Wednesday, Meyer said he did not yet know who would start as the open safety spot. But on the depth chart released by Ohio State the day before, Wint was listed as the sole starter. If Wint struggles early in the game, Shaun Wade or Brendon White might earn a few first-half snaps.
Jeffrey Okudah
On Wednesday, Meyer said he was impressed by McLaurin and Okudah fighting through exhaustion in order to play special teams, along with their respective offensive and defensive positions.
Given Indiana's passing attack and Harris' electric return ability, Okudah might, once again, have minimal time to catch his breath. He has to take care of his duties as a special teams gunner, then he'll take the field and try to keep Ramsey from hitting the short passes that extend Indiana's drives. It might be a long game for Okudah, but he'll be important to Ohio State being able to exit Ohio Stadium Saturday with its sixth win of the season.
Dwayne Haskins
Oh, the Heisman Trophy candidate of a quarterback is one of Ohio State's most important players? Thanks for the astute analysis, Colin.
That's what I imagine you, the reader, is thinking when you see Haskins listed as one of Ohio State's most important players against Indiana. You're probably right to think that.
But it's important to see whether Haskins can bounce back after the roughest game of his career, which has been just five starts so far. Since he so seamlessly transitioned into his starting role and became a Heisman candidate, it can be easy to forget he's less than halfway into his first season as a starter in college. He has never struggled before, then had to bounce back the next week.
Plus, Indiana's defense, while it hasn't faced an offense as high-powered as Ohio State's, has kept opposing passing offenses in check. Two weeks ago, Michigan State's Brian Lewerke went 14 for 25 for 213 yards against the Hoosiers and was picked off twice and sacked three times.
Haskins has an opportunity to bounce back in a big way, but Indiana watched Penn State fluster him in the pocket a few times and undoubtedly will do its best to keep the young signal-caller from getting into a rhythm.
